


Spilled Coffee

by glaivenoct



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Reminiscing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-27 13:40:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17162993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glaivenoct/pseuds/glaivenoct
Summary: Four years leading up to this moment he’ll cherish forever. All thanks to a little spilled coffee. Who would’ve thought?





	Spilled Coffee

**Author's Note:**

> My nyxnoct secret santa gift for [just-sly](http://just-sly.tumblr.com/) on [tumblr](http://glaivenoct.tumblr.com/post/181414414894/spilled-coffee), who mentioned liking the idea of happy endings and coffee shop aus ^.^ While this isn't _quite_ a strictly coffee shop au, I wanted to work some form of it in here to add to a happy ending these two deserve.
> 
> Merry christmas and happy nyxnoct holidays friends <3

“Do you remember the day we met?”

The question’s followed by the strong smell of coffee. His favorite coffee, a hot snickerdoodle mocha, is placed with the utmost care into his chilly hands. A wisp of steam curls from the lid, wafting the pleasant scent of cinnamon to his nose. Noctis brings the cup closer to inhale the aroma deeply, smiling when he sees Nyx sitting across from him with his own hot drink and a curious twinkle in his eye.

“We met around the citadel several times since I was a kid.”

“Yeah, I remember always meeting and Prince Noctis and Sir Ulric there. I’m talking about when we really met. Here. As just Nyx and Noct.”

Noctis traces a hand around the lid of his cup. Thinking back to it… Nyx looks as endearing as he did that day they met here, bundled handsomely in a gray jacket and black scarf. It’s as cold outside as it was that day too. The coffee shop they sit in now hasn’t changed one bit either.

Noctis loves this place. It’s close to his apartment, and nowhere near as bustling or minimalist as the coffee shops closer to the citadel. To Noct, it’s always felt like a neat mix between a miniature library and coffee shop. It’s quiet and comfy, walls lined with vibrant shelves of books and chalkboard art with witty quotes. The floors are dark and maple, reflecting soft, golden light that relaxes him in the evenings.

Every seat is cushioned, inviting writers and readers and artists alike to stay for as long as their muses indulge them. Noct’s favorite touches were the couches. There’s two of them; one towards the front of the shop, pressed up against the big window that peers out into the street. The other is towards the back, secluded in the perfect corner for Noct to huddle into and keep to himself.

No one here ever bothers him. He never feels unwanted stares or hears people muttering to each other and asking if that’s really the prince sitting in the corner. The baristas never seem to pay any mind to his title either, no matter how many times they write his name on cups. They hand it off to him and wish him a good day like they would any other customer. No formalities. No “Your Highness”.

He likes that. He likes coming here often to write back to Luna in their notebook. Never without his snickerdoodle mocha and chocolate muffin.

It was four years ago he came here to do exactly that. He was so invested in his written words that he’d lost track of time and would’ve stayed longer had Ignis not texted him to inquire of his whereabouts.

 _Five more minutes_ , he decides at the time. That’s all he needs to finish his response to Luna. It’ll only take him ten minutes or so to get back to his apartment. No big deal.

Or so he thought. Five minutes and Noct’s gathering his things, hurrying to the door with half a cup of semi-hot coffee in one hand and his phone in the other.

He’s halfway through a text to Ignis when it happens. He runs into someone, spilling what’s left of his coffee all over them. Whatever astonished gasp’s ready to come out of Noct’s mouth turns into an odd, mortified noise when he realizes it’s Nyx.

At the age of nineteen, Noctis is painfully aware of a big, fat, blooming crush on the revered hero of the kingsglaive. It’s always been the little things about him that pique Noct’s interest. Makes him wonder what more there is to the man besides his perfect guard stance.

Perhaps it’s the years’ worth of little smiles offered to him when they pass each other in the halls. The warm “Good morning, Your Highness,” or the inquiries on how his day was going. It never feels artificial or forced simply because he’s the prince, and over the years it created a particular fondness Noctis can’t say he’s held for any other glaive.

He didn’t realize how much it was really a crush until he started training with Nyx. Gathering up the courage to do something about it felt impossible beneath the eyes and ears of the citadel. He flirted where he could. Maybe enjoyed their sparring sessions a little too much when they got up close and personal, but for the most part, Noct played it safe and suffered in silence.

Spilling coffee on him, however, is the exact opposite of safe. It’s embarrassing. The most damn mortifying thing that could’ve happened to him. Of _all the people_ he could’ve spilled coffee on!

He wants to crawl into a hole, vanish into oblivion, let one of the gods strike him down there and now. His blush reaches his ears while he apologizes like a madman and scrambles for an explanation to excuse his clumsiness and lack of attention.

There is none.

And Nyx. Sweet, wonderful, coffee-soaked Nyx ends up smiling at him.

“Prince Noctis,” he says, raising both hands to placate him. “Really, it’s okay. Nothing a little trip to the dry cleaners can’t fix.”

Noctis can’t accept that. Nor can he accept missing out on the prime opportunity to finally act on his stupid crush. He owes Nyx some sort of recompense for ruining a perfectly good jacket, doesn’t he? That’s the least he can do, right?

The recompense turns into Noctis buying Nyx’s coffee that evening and informing Ignis he’s going to be home later than expected.

Technically, it turns into them sitting in the exact same spot four years later as – according to Crowe – disgustingly devoted boyfriends. That brings a coy smile to Noct’s face. He takes a sip of his coffee.

“Of course I remember. Why are you bringing it up now?”

“Because this is the exact jacket.”

It’s a second before the statement clicks in Noct’s head. He wrinkles his brow and gapes at Nyx’s crooked smile. “ _No_ ,” he says, not liking one bit how satisfied Nyx looks. “No it’s not!”

“It totally is.”

“You did this on purpose, you jerk!” Noct kicks his boot beneath the table, laughing when he does.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, babe.”

“Our anniversary was _last week_! I’m surprised you didn’t do this then.”

Nyx shrugs. “You know me. Always full of surprises.”

“Kinda like how I was surprised to run into you here in the first place.”

“Oh, you ran into me alright.” Another kick and Nyx is laughing again. “Nah. Guess I’ve been reminiscing on a lot since our anniversary. Even before then.” He smiles like there’s a secret he knows that Noct doesn’t, eyes glued to his cup. “Four years… that’s pretty great.”

Noctis can tell there’s something bigger going on in Nyx’s head and he waits to hear whatever it is. Nyx remains quiet and dazed in affection, though, which is more suspicious.

“What aren’t you telling me, Nyx Ulric?”

“Hm?” Nyx blinks up at him, quick to shake his head. “Oh, nothing. Nothing at all, little king.”

Noctis doesn’t believe that at all, but he lets it go knowing that whatever it is, Nyx might tell him eventually. He’s always full of surprises after all.

But that’s the last thing on his mind later that night when he stirs awake in Nyx’s bed. He’s displeased to turn over and end up burying his face into pillows rather than his boyfriend’s neck. He stretches an arm to investigate the space next to him and finds it vacant and cold. Noctis lifts his head with a grumble just as he hears the door opening.

And then there’s a clatter, followed by a soft “ _Damn it_.”

“Nyx?” When Noctis turns to face the door, Nyx is already crouched on the floor, hand clutched protectively around an object he can’t recognize in the dark. The glaive freezes into position and looks up at him slowly.

“Hi.” Noctis can barely make out his nervous smile with the moonlight pooling in from the window.

“It’s the middle of the night. What are doing?”

“Taking a walk?”

Noctis squints at him and maneuvers out of bed to turn on the nearby lamp. Nyx is standing up and closing the door behind him as the light’s switched on. Noctis catches him stuffing something in the pocket of his gray jacket.

That’s when the thought from earlier pops back into his head. Nyx is _planning something_. Something he doesn’t want Noctis to know yet. He crosses his arms and approaches him slowly, startling him once he’s fully turned around. As charming as that smile of feigning innocence might be, Noct refuses to let it deter him.

“What’cha got there, Ulric?”

“Got where? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Noctis cocks his brows and reaches for the hand that’s stuffed in a pocket, laughing when Nyx tentatively pulls away from him. “You sure?”

Nyx bites his lower lip and lets his eyes wander up to the ceiling. “It’s… a surprise. It was _supposed_ to be.” The inner conflict begins to surface to his features. He’s contemplating this… or _has_ contemplated it for a while.

This surprise isn’t _just a surprise_. It’s important and serious to Nyx. Noct takes a step back from him and grabs the hand that fiddles with the end of his jacket.

“Okay.” He rubs a thumb soothingly across Nyx’s fingers. “This never happened then. Come back to bed.”

“Noct.” Nyx halts the hand that moves to aid him in removing his jacket. Gods, that indecisive glint makes Noct even more curious about whatever surprise he’s holding onto. More so when Nyx squeezes his hand and stares at it, thumb stroking his pinky and ring finger.

Noct squeezes back as a way of asking Nyx to talk to him. To ask if everything’s alright.

Finally, he shakes his head and huffs. “Screw it. This… might’ve made more sense to do last week. I wanted to do this last week but, uh, the most important part got held up a little bit.”

“Nyx, we said no anniversary presents this year. Flowers, chocolate and us. That’s it.”

“Do you remember the day we met?”

Noct’s grip on Nyx’s hand lightens. “What?”

“The day we met. The jacket and the coffee. Talking till we were the last people in that place. Otherwise known as one of the best days of my life.”

“What does that have to do with –”

“If you had told me that day that we’d be where we are now, I don’t know if I’d believe it.” Nyx squeezes his hand again. “Four years.”

Noctis swallows, the beat of his heart picking up. It hasn’t been without struggle. Within four beautiful years they experienced the burden and blessing of their relationship’s secrecy. The relief and freedom of every reveal to their loved ones and eventually the public. They dealt with the war, the on and off distance that would put between them and leave Noct praying to each god for Nyx’s safe return home.

They dealt with it all long enough to see peace touch their lives as the war came to an end. To be confident and comfortable holding hands in public. To pay no mind to what any ignorant, nosy citizen might have to say of a prince falling for his father’s glaive.

Had Noctis been told that one fateful day that this is where they’d be now, maybe he wouldn’t believe it either. He’d be determined to get there, though. To see the laughs, kisses and embraces that countered the heartaches, the tears and the doubts. To experience the indescribable sensation of falling in love with Nyx repeatedly.

If he’s not mistaken, he might be falling in love with him again right now. Or at least with captivating look in his adoring eyes.

“Four years…” Noctis says, staying fixed on Nyx even when he notices him fishing the surprise from his pocket.

“I want more than that. I want to _give_ _you_ more than that. I’ll give you every year I have if you want.”

“Nyx…” Noct doesn’t know how the part in his lips and the curious furrow to his brow give Nyx even more courage. What he knows is that the palm of his hand is sweaty, and his legs are starting to feel a little like jelly.                                                        

Nyx gives him that kind smile like the day they met, holding his hand even as he drops onto one knee. “Noct. My love and my heart. My little king.” He releases his hand to properly present a small black box, opening it up and revealing a sleek, black ring with two purple bands encircling the edges. “Will you marry me?”

Noct’s breath catches in his chest as he waits for panicked thoughts to surface in his brain. Instead there’s a distinct twinge in his chest threatening to reduce him to tears, yet no moisture wells into his vision.

All he feels is the twinge. It’s warm and turning into a pleasant flutter – into an instinct that serves as the blockade for any of those panicked thoughts to reach him.

There’s nothing to panic about. There’s nothing to question. For all the times their relationship faced uncertainty, there’s not a thing in this world that can make Noctis uncertain now.

So he falls to Nyx’s level, grabs his face with both hands and kisses him hard. He doesn’t hold it for long. He’s too eager to part just enough to mutter “Yes,” against chapped lips, letting his fingers wander into braids.

“Yes?”

“ _Yes_.”

“ _Thank gods_.”

Before Noctis knows it, Nyx is wrapping his arms around him, pulling him to the floor and rolling on top of him to kiss him. He starts giggling into them, which gets Nyx to fall into his own hysterical fit. He’s quick to muffle it into his neck, but it only gets Noct giggling even more. They stay a quivering heap of euphoric fiancés for a good minute before they come back down to eos. Noctis closes his eyes and locks his arms at the back of Nyx’s neck, soaking in this newfound love while they settle down.

“I’m really glad you spilled your coffee on me that day.”

Noctis just smiles and tugs Nyx closer. “You sure you want to marry me, hero?”

He can feel his hero smiling against his skin before he even lifts his head. Nyx pushes himself up enough to bring the little box back into sight. He plucks the ring from the box and delicately takes Noctis’ left hand.

It slides so smoothly onto his finger and it feels _so right_. Up close Noctis can see the purple bands of ore shining when he flexes his finger a certain way. He notices faint engravings in between them too. A mix between Lucian and Galahdian emblems. Customized just for them. Something grows heavy in his throat.

It’s perfect. Might not be on their anniversary like Nyx originally planned, but it’s still perfect.

Four years leading up to this moment he’ll cherish forever. All thanks to a little spilled coffee. Who would’ve thought?

Nyx stills his fiancé’s shaking fingers as he places a kiss right above the ring.

“I’ve never been this sure about anything in my life till now, little king.”


End file.
